Pruning-shears



;No Model.)

G. A. KEMPBR.

PRUNING SHEARS.

No. 586,850 Patented July 20,1897.

amen/too 67. J7 [em oer UNrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. KEMPER, OF NEIVBERNE, \VEST VIRGINIA.

PRUNlNG-SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 586,850, dated July 20,1897.

Application filed March 22, 1897. Serial No. 628,721. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. KEnrER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newberne, in the county of Gilmer and State of VestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPruning-Shears; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to pruning-shears and the object is to simplify theconstruction and provide a device of this character which willeffectively perform its work in an efficient manner without requiringthe expenditure of a great amount of strength in operating it.

"With this object in view the invention consists of certain features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

The figure in the drawing is a perspective view of my improved shears.

1 denotes the handle, provided with a cutter-bar 2, the upper end ofwhich is hooked, as shown at 3, and is formed with a sharpened edge l.Pivoted to the bar near its hooked end is an oscillating cutter-bar 5,the inner edge of which supports a rotary cutter 6, which coacts withthe hooked cutter aforesaid.

7 denotes a lever, one end of which is pivoted to the hooked bar nearits lower end, and 8 denotes a link pivoted to the outer end of thecutter-bar and to the intermediate portion of the lover.

0 denotes an operating-rod connected to the outer end of the lever andby means of which the lever may be drawn downward to force the rotarycutter against the limb or twig to be severed. In cutting heavy limbs ordried limbs a considerable amount of pressure is required, andheretofore in devices of this character there has been a tendency tostrain the cutter-bar, owing to the resistance offered to thecutter bythe dried or thick limb to be severed. To overcome this difficulty, Iprovide two guide-plates 8, secured to opposite sides of the hooked barnear its upper end, and between which the end of the cutter-bar swingsand by which the cutter is prevented from being strained or bent out ofalinement.

1O denotes a saw which I secure to the hooked bar by two plates 11,bolted to said hooked bar. The outer ends of these plates are recessedto form seats for the ends of the saw, which are bolted in saidrecesses.

As the function of the saw is obvious to those requiring the use oftools of this character, further description is not thought to benecessary.

The inner end of one of the plates that supports the saw is beveled andis secured to the hooked bar immediately below the pivot for the lever,so that when said lever is swung downward in the act of forcing therotary cutter through the limb to be severed the lever will contact withthe beveled end of this plate, thereby limiting the motion of the leverand preventing the rotary cutter being thrown too far upward, whichwould cause it to strike the upper end of one of the curved guide-platesand become dulled, or it such plates were not provided the cutter wouldbe thrown vertically, and the link, outter-bar, and lover would reach adead-center, in which position it would be difficult, if not impossible,to operate the device without lowering it and moving the parts to theproper position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a handle and a bar secured thereto, and having itsupperend hooked and provided with a cutting edge, of two guide-platessecured on opposite sides of the bar, a cutter-bar pivoted to the hookedbar near its upper end and projecting between the guide-plates, a rotarycutter journaled -to the inner end of the cutter-bar, an operating-leverpivoted to the hooked bar, a link connecting the operating-lever withthe outer end of the cutter-bar, plates projecting laterally from thecutter-bar, a saw supported thereby, the lower one of said plates havinga beveled end to form a stop for the lever for the purpose described,and an operating-rod secured to the outer free end of the said 1ever,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE A. KEMPER.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE W. SWIsHEE, EDWARD N. BUSH.

